The present invention relates to optical communication networks, and more specifically to the encoding and decoding of optical communications.
Optical communication networks include a network hub that transmits optical data to and receives optical data from a plurality of network nodes. In a forward channel (network hub to network node direction), optical data signals are optically encoded with an address to produce addressed optical data signals (“addressed data signals”) that are transmitted to network nodes that include decoders that decode or attempt to decode the addressed data signals. An addressed optical data signal intended for a selected network node is recognized at the selected network node by decoding the data with a decoder that is “matched” to the addressing encoder at the network hub. The matched decoder decodes the addressed data signal to recover data from the addressed data signal. At other network nodes, the decoder is typically “unmatched” to the encoder and the addressed optical data signal is improperly decoded, generally producing a low-level, noise-like signal from which data recovery is difficult.
Optical networks typically have fixed encoders and decoders. Other optical networks rely on multiple wavelengths (i.e., wavelength division multiplexing) that use valuable optical bandwidth and are difficult to re-provision when additional network nodes are added. Other networks rely on precise timing synchronization between coders and decoders which requires accurate, high-speed electronics. Thus a need exists for an optical network directed to these problems.